My partner and I received a lot of excellent advise on traveling with children before we had our first child. Always pack some munchies! Bring some entertaining diversions! On their timeframe, keep in mind!
None of those pearls of wisdom, however, seemed to apply during my first six months of parenthood. It looked like a completely new adventure to travel with babies, especially those under six months old.
When our first daughter was born in August, we should have been traveling, but instead we spent the days recuperating and resting at home, largely simply gazing at our adorable little blob of a person. The initial weeks spent indoors were fantastic, but we quickly felt the need to return to the outside world, which prompted us to begin determining the best way to bring this tiny human along.
We’ve learnt a lot about traveling with a baby—more especially, traveling with our baby—over the past six months. There are certain things we learnt that aren’t applicable to other parents, like our intricate cloth diaper travel system, and some things that other parents have learned that don’t apply to us, like how amazing our baby is at sleeping.
Here are six things I’ve discovered about traveling with a baby after our experiences on trains, airplanes, and autos, including both short day excursions and lengthy vacations:
Jamie Hale, a travel journalist, and his newborn child trek in Tryon Creek State Park.Leigh Sadie
1. It’s quite simple to forget about oneself.
We packed really well for our baby’s first significant trip, which was a two-night stay in a modest home on Mount Hood. We ourselves? Not at all. As we climbed through the cold mountain air, my partner had to borrow my long sleeves because he had forgotten to carry any. Somehow, I forgot to bring undergarments.
You are just as important as your baby, of course! Avoid being so preoccupied that you disregard your own needs. Parents’ underwear is just as crucial as diapers.
2. Sometimes you simply need to stop.
My unwavering determination to have fun on a road trip is what I love most about myself. Every stop is scheduled. The schedule is predetermined. I have a perfect schedule! I quickly came to the realization that I needed to soften that position after becoming a father.
In the car, our baby is usually pretty calm. For instance, we typically let her go until we get home when she does lose her mind while doing errands at the end of the day. We’ll all be alright if it’s only fifteen minutes. This winter, however, we had to pull into a rest area to attempt to calm her when she began to wail at the beginning of a two-hour drive to Breitenbush Hot Springs. My partner begged me to get off the freeway so we could change and feed the baby again when she erupted an hour later. I had to concede.
3. Others will volunteer to assist you. You ought to accept it.
I have long found it difficult to accept assistance from others, like many others. However, friends, family, and even complete strangers have been quite helpful when we’ve been out and about with the baby, particularly when one of us is by ourselves. Give me the door! You dropped this, huh? Really, let me watch her for a little! I am finally accepting their offers, but it has taken some effort.
Suffering in solitude is unnecessary, particularly when traveling and when others are willing to offer assistance. Every time I worry that accepting peoples offers will somehow be an imposition, I m reminded of a great piece of advice from a friend: Accepting help is a gift to those who offer it.
While it can be difficult, flying cross-country with a newborn is not impossible.”The Oregonian” or Jamie Hale
tucked away in a small vacation home with a small infant.”The Oregonian” or Jamie Hale
4. Your changing table is the globe.
The changing table is one thing that I’ve just realized as a parent. Each and every one. I keep track of which restrooms in restaurants have them and which don’t. They are only found in women’s toilets. Who has those ubiquitous Koala Kare fold-down deals and who has actual tables.
Another thing I ve realized is that our babyhatesthese places. After changing our screaming infant in the men s room at Timberline Lodge, and, regrettably, on the floor of a ramen restaurant bathroom, we ve come to embrace the world as our changing table. With a simple fold-up, waterproof changing pad in hand, we have changed our baby on park benches, living room floors, the backseats of cars and across our laps on an airplane. There hasn’t been any eye contact.
5. Pack N Plays are revolutionary.
We didn t think we needed a Pack N Play, also known as a portable playpen. In the first few months of our baby s life, when she wasn t sleeping at home, we found ways to make safe, comfortable beds for her, usually by assembling some collection of cushions and pillows. It got old fast.
The Pack N Play, which folds up compactly and is pretty easy to lug around, offered an easy and safe place for her to sleep, whether we were in a hotel room, her uncle s apartment or staying over at a friend s house. We have one on hand for road trips, but haven t tried to fly with it: good friends and one gracious Airbnb host have been able to lend us theirs. When our baby gets more mobile (which is any day now), the playpen will be a good place for her to hang out when we re in places she shouldn t be crawling around.
6. Everything is figure-outable
It would be far too easy to have a baby and say, Welp, our days of travel are over. But a baby need not be a ball and chain that tethers you to your home. Whatever kind of travel you like to do, there s usually a way to make it work with an infant. Like to backpack? There s gear for that! Need to fly cross-country? You can make it work!
The biggest thing I ve learned about traveling with a baby is that it sreallypossible to travel with a baby. Before she was born, I wasn t so sure. Do trips look different now? Definitely. But with six months of experience under our belts, and all that good advice in our back pockets, I m ready to keep up the big adventure.
–Jamie Halecovers travel and the outdoors and co-hosts thePeak Northwest podcast. Reach him at 503-294-4077,[email protected]@HaleJamesB.
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